The SMM UAV was not damaged after about 60 shots in total had been fired in its direction.

REUTERS

Members of Russia-led armed formations fired 10 meters away from an OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) patrol at an SMM UAV flying over the Zolote disengagement area in Luhansk region.

"On February 15, while positioned at a checkpoint of the armed formations on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM informed members of the armed formations present that an SMM mid-range UAV was flying in the area, operated by the SMM from a different location. The SMM observed five members of the armed formations standing at the same checkpoint, about 10m from the SMM, each aim an assault rifle at a UAV that was flying south of the checkpoint at an altitude of about 300m, and fire about 60 shots in total in its direction," the OSCE SMM said in its update on Saturday, February 16, based on information received as of 19:30 Kyiv time on February 15, 2019.

The SMM informed the members of the armed formations that it was an SMM UAV and the members of the armed formations stopped shooting. The SMM left the area of the checkpoint.

The SMM UAV was not damaged.

Ukrainian members of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) said on Sunday, February 17, that by staging such a provocation, the Russian occupation forces attempt to intimidate OSCE monitors and make them stop monitoring.

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